Steam vacuum dredger



(No Model.) I

H. 0. SEARS. Steam Vacuum Dredger. No. 230,072.

Patented, July 13, I880.

In remt'ozr;

N-PETERS, PHOTO-LII'HQGRAPHEF, WASHINGTON. Di ch HENRY (J. SEARS,.OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

' STEAM VACUUM DREDGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 230,072, dated July 13,1880. Application filed March 25, 1880. N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY G. SEARs,ofBoston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in SteamVacuum Pumping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for raising water and solid matterfrom submerged surfaces by the use of the Savary process'i. 6., charginga vacuum-chamber with steam, and then condensing the steam to form avacuum, which induces a flow of water and other matter from thesubmerged surface into the vacuum-chamber through a valvedinduction-pipe projecting at its upper end into the chamber andextending down to the submerged surface.

My invention has for its chief object to provide the induction-pipe withan upwardly-opening valve arranged to be washed by a jet of water fromthe pipe employed to introduce water in to the chamber to condense thesteam, and be deprived thereby of the mud, gravel, and dirt that areliable to adhere to it, so that it may fit snugly on the end of theinductionpipe, the object of said valve being to prevent the escape ofthe matter contained in the induction-pipe when the chamber is opened todischarge its contents.

The invention also has for its object to provide certain otherimprovements relating to the vacuum chamber and its induction pipe, andto a scow or vessel supporting the same.

The invention consists, first, in such a relative arrrangement of thevalve of the induc-' tion-pipe and the pipe through which water isintroduced into the chamber to condense the steam that the water fromthe latter pipe shall wash the under surface of the valve an d enablethe valve to fit snugly on its seat, which is the end of theinduction-pipe.

The invention consists, secondly,in pivoting the chamber to a scow orvessel so that the induction-pipe may stand at various angles.

The invention consists, thirdly, in certain improvements in theconstruction of the scow or vessel, all of which I will now proceed todescribe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of an apparatus embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the scow without the otherparts. Fig. 3 represents an end view of the apparatus, showing thechamber in a vertical position. Fig. 4 represents aside elevation of thechamher and a section of a portion of the scow. Fig. 5 represents asection in line x 00, Fig. 3.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

In the drawings, Arepresents ascow or vessel of any suitableconstruction. B represents the vacuum chamber, which consists,preferably, of a cylinder of plate-iron strongly made, and is providedwith lateral trunnions G (l, which are journaled in suitable supports,so as to enable the chamber to swing and assume any desired inclination.In the present instance the supports of the trnnnions are eyes formed onthe end of a metallic bail, D, which is supported by a chain, E, passingover a pulley, F, on a vertical frame, G, and secured to a drum orwindlass,H. These elements enable the vacuum-chamber to be raised andlowered, the trunnionsbeing held and guided by flanged plates I I,having apertures to receive the trunnions, and adapted to slide on theuprights of the frame G. If desired, however, the supports for thetrunnions may be rigid instead of movable; but I prefer to make themmov-.

able to accommodate the apparatus to varying depths of water.

J represents the induction-pipe, which consists of any desired number oflengths or sections of tubing having end flanges. The upper end of thepipe enters the bottom of the chamber and projects into the latterhalf-way, or more, to the top, and is provided with an upwardly-openingvalve. K, at its upper end, said valve being preferably hemispherical,and adapted to slide between guide-rods 1, attached to the end of thepipe. The lower end of the pipe J rests on the bottom or submergedsurface, and may be inclined, as shown in Fig. 1, or vertical, as shownin Fig. 4. When the tube is inclined the pivoted vacuum-chamber enablesit to rise and fall at its lower end and thus conform to inequalities ofthe bottom on which it rests. When the tube is vertical the same resultmay be produced by raising and lowering the vacuum-chamber. The scow orvessel has a longitudinal opening or well,A, to permit the tube J toswing from an inclined to a vertical position.

A represents a hoisting apparatus at the end of the scow to raise thetube to a horizontal position.

L represents a valve or door at the lower end of the vacuum-chamber,which is adapted to be shut air-tight while the vacuum-chamberis beingfilled, and is opened to discharge the solid and liquid contents of thereceiver into a sluice, M, or other receptacle. Steam is admitted intothe condens'erthrough a pipe, N, communicating with a suitable boiler orgenerator. (Not shown.)

0 represents apipe to admit water into the vacuum-chamber from aforce-pump. (Not shown.) This pipe is arranged to direct the water uponthe under side of the valve K of the pipe J when said valve is open, asshown in Fig. 1, so that the valve is cleaned from mud and dirt, andenabled to fit tightly on the end of the pipe J when it closes.

The described apparatus is intended mainly for raising depositscontaining gold from the beds of rivers; and to separate the gold fromthe other matters the sluice M is provided, extending at a gentleincline from the point where the contents of the vacuum-chamber aredischarged. In order to obtain a sluice ofsufficient length, I extend Mbeyond the end of the scow, and provide the latter with a narrowextension, A to enable a person to walk out to the outer end of thesluice. By this construction I avoid the necessityof making the body ofthe scow long enough to contain the entire sluice, thus savin ginexpense and weigh t. The opposite end of the scow is also providedwithan extension, A, to enable a person to add or remove a section fromthe pipe J. hen the pipeJis inclined lprot'ide itwith a curve, J, tomake its lower end so nearly vertical that the pipe will not take up somuch water as it would if its lower end were considerably inclined,particularly on a hard bottom.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows A vacuum having been formedin the chamber B by thesuccessivc introduction of steam and waterthrough the pipes N and O, the chamber is filled with solid and liquidmatter through the pipe J, the valve K rising to ad.- mit the passage ofsuch matter, and being liable to be coated with mud or gravel passingthrough the pipe. W hen the chamber is tilled with liquid and solidmatter the "alve or door L is opened, and the contents of the chamberare discharged into the sluice S, and at the same time a stream of wateris admitted through the pipe 0 upon the valve to remove the mud orgravel that may adhere to it, so that it can fit closely upon the end ofthe pipe when it closes and prevent the contents of the pipe fromsinking to the level of the water that supportsthescow.Thispartofmyinvention viz., the relative arrangement of the valve K andpipe O-I consider of much importance, as it insures the proper fittingof the valve, and thus facilitates the operation of the apparatus.

I am aware that an induction-pipe has been pivoted to a fixedvacuum-chamber on a scow provided with a longitudinal wellway throughwhich the pipe passes. Such an apparatus necessitates careful packingaround the hollow trunnions or joints connecting the pipe to thechamber, and the joints are liable to leak and interfere with theoperation of the vacuumchamber. By pivoting the chamber and attachingthe induction-pipe rigidly to it I obviate the last-named objection andsimplify the construction. I am also aware that a scow with an inclinedsluice to receive the discharges from the chamber is not new, the sluiceextending only to the end of the scow. Therefore I do not claim thesefeatures by themselves. By making the pipe J in sections I am enabled toreadily shorten or lengthen it.

I claim- 1. In a steam vacuum pumping apparatus, the combination of avacuum chamber, a valved inductionape terminating within the upperportionof the chamber, and a pipe or condensing-nozzle adapted to directa stream of water upon the valve of the induction-pipe when said valveis opened, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a steam vacuum pumping apparatus, the combination of a scow orvessel having a longitudinal well or opening, a vacuum-cham- .berpivoted to supports on the scow, and a valved induction-pipe enteringsaid chamber and rigidly attached thereto, so that both will be inclinedtogether, as set forth.

3. The combination of the scow or vessel having avertical frame, G, thevacuum-chamber having an induction-pipe, J, and trunnions C G, eyes orsupports for said trunnions suspended from said frame and guidedthereby, and means for raising and lowering the eyes or supports, as setforth.

4. The scow or vessel having the inclined sluice extended beyond its endand the track leading out from the body of the scow to the end of thesluice.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence oftwo subscribing witnesses, this 23d day of March, A. D. 1880.

HENRY G. SEARS.

WVitnesses: (J. F. BROWN,

H. G. WADLIN.

IIO

